Cheapest 5G smartphones in South Africa — with prices from R2,199

South African mobile network operators continue to invest billions in their networks to expand and improve their coverage, including their 5G networks.

As a result, 5G coverage in the country has expanded significantly, making the technology more accessible.

However, the pricing of 5G-capable devices presented a barrier to using the technology.

This isn’t necessarily the case anymore, as South Africans can buy several 5G-enable smartphones for under R6,100, with some devices priced as low as R2,199.

MyBroadband scoured online retailers in South Africa to find the most affordable 5G-enabled smartphones on offer.

The cheapest option is the ZTE Blade A72 5G with 64GB of storage and 4GB RAM for R2,199 from Makro.

The offer marks a significant reduction in the minimum price point for buying a 5G smartphone. In previous MyBroadband comparisons, the most affordable options were priced at R3,499 and R3,599.

South Africans can grab another 5G-capable smartphone — the Hisense H50s 5G — from Bob Shop for less than the cheapest devices we found in the past.

At R3,399, the Hisense H50s 5G features 128GB of storage, 8GB of RAM, and a 1,080p display.

Takealot sells several affordable 5G smartphones, including the Samsung Galaxy A13 5G, Samsung Galaxy A22 5G, and Nokia G42 5G, for R3,399, R3,699, and R4,299, respectively.

It should be noted that the Nokia G42 5G sold by MTN is locked to MTN’s network.

Similarly, the Tecno Spark 10 5G from Takealot for R4,299 is a Vodacom deal and locked to its network.

The most expensive option listed is Samsung’s Galaxy A34 5G from Takealot for R6,099.

It has 128GB of storage, 6GB of RAM, and a large 5,000mAh battery. It is also the only option listed that features an optical under-display fingerprint scanner.

Ten of the cheapest 5G smartphones you can buy in South Africa are listed below with specs and pricing.

ZTE Blade A72 5G 64GB — R2,199 (Makro)

Hisense H50s 5G 128GB — R3,399 (Bob Shop)

Samsung A13 5G 64GB — R3,699 (Takealot)

Samsung Galaxy A22 5G 64GB — R3,999 (Takealot)

Nokia G42 5G 128GB — R4,299 (Takealot)*

TECNO Spark 10 5G 64GB — R4,299 (Takealot)*

Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 128GB — R4,799 (Incredible)

Motorola Edge 20 Lite 5G 128GB — R5,399 (Connected Devices)

Xiaomi Poco X5 5G 128GB — R5,399 (Connected Devices)

Samsung Galaxy A34 5G 128GB — R6,099 (Connected Devices)

Now read: Uncapped LTE and 5G price showdown